Toll stations to be installed on Thika highway

February 4, 2016 11:47 am

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By SIMON NDONGA, The Kenya National Highways Authority, (KeNHA) Maintenance Manager Njuguna Gatitu, said the introduction of tolling services on the highway is aimed at improving maintenance and operation services/FILENAIROBI, Kenya, Feb 4 – The government has procured the services of a transaction adviser through World Bank funding to carry out a feasibility study on Thika superhighway toll services.

The Kenya National Highways Authority, (KeNHA) Maintenance Manager Njuguna Gatitu, said the introduction of tolling services on the highway is aimed at improving maintenance and operation services.

Speaking in his office, Gatitu stated that the advisor is currently carrying out a feasibility study and the tolling service is to begin in the near future.

“This will reduce road accidents drastically along the highway which has in recent past been marred with motorists’ death due to unscrupulous driving,” he stated.

Gatitu said the tolling service would be carried out under the public private partnership (PPP) to improve the highway by building of footbridges and installing lighting to improve safety.

He further stated that KeNHA is in the process of sourcing funds to erect priority footbridges on the superhighway before the PPP commences.

Currently there are 18 footbridges on the highway.

The highway which is under a performance based maintenance contract.

The PBC entails Routine Maintenance and Emergency Maintenance other services include User and Operation Services which are principally concerned with enhancing the comfort, convenience, and safety of the Road Users.

This has seen regular route patrols, ambulance, breakdown, and other emergency services used in safeguarding motorists using the superhighway.

The maintenance contract which will conclude at the end of this year has seen daily routine maintenance visible with a cleaning truck doing rounds, reinstatement of pedestrian rails and guardrails along the highway has also been visible.

Also noticeable along Murang’a Road is the installation of razor wire to deter pedestrians from crossing the road and instead urged to use the footbridge constructed at Ngara.

Illegal advertisements which have been rampant along the highway have since not seen the light of day with over 800 hundred unauthorized advertisements along the corridor having been removed.